One of the more impressive career second acts of the music world has to go to Danny Elfman, who became one of the most in-demand film composers starting in the late 80s. He’s most closely associated with gothic filmmaker Tim Burton, composing the popular themes to the director’s Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and his two Batman entries. He also wrote the songs and sang the voice of Jack Skellington in Burton’s hybrid Halloween/Christmas staple, The Nightmare BeforeChristmas, in 1993.
But Elfman started his music career as the frontman for the underground new wave band Oingo Boingo. In 1985, the band released their fifth and most successful album Dead Man’s Party, which featured their only two singles to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Easily their most popular tune was Weird Science, linked to the famous John Hughes comedy of the same name. While I adore Weird Science, my favorite song is still the album’s bouncy title track, and the music video showcases the band’s quirky, unique playing style.
Dead Man’s Party got a second lease as a single when it was featured in the 1986 comedy Back to School, which starred Rodney Dangerfield and a young Robert Downey Jr. Not only was the tune added to the film’s soundtrack, but the movie also has a big party scene where Oingo Boingo plays the song live. Sadly, the music video is a lazy promotional affair, which features the band playing intercut with shots from the movie. But the video does give us a peek into Oingo Boingo’s stylized, staged energy and Elfman’s gleeful exaggerated facial expressions. Just from watching the video, I wish I had the chance to experience Elfman and company at a live show.
Weird Science and Dead Man’s Party would become seasonal staples for many Halloween playlists. Dead Man’s Party, in particular, would take many years before it became a beloved 80s hit, despite its (ahem) dead-on-arrival status when released initially. Like Elfman himself, the song has had a solid second shelf life. And if you’re lucky enough to see Elfman’s live concert of The Nightmare Before Christmas, which is an annual event at the Hollywood Bowl, he closes the show with this tune, despite it not appearing in the film.
Check out the video below and let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
Did not know about Elfman’s Nightmare Before Christmas annual event at the Hollywood Bowl. That sounds very cool. Weird Science and Dead Man’s Party are both classics. Hadn’t seen this video since it first came out, so it was a real rush down memory lane to view it again!
I was fortunate to catch the Nightmare annual concert back in 2017. It’s a fun experience, as they play the movie on giant screens in the Hollywood Bowl, then during the musical sections, Elfman and company emerge on stage and sing live. And they did close with “Dead Man’s Party.” And people dressed up in costumes, and it’s a great way to get into the Halloween spirit.